Orson colvin



p @uiten tates @stent @Hire URSON GOLVIN, 0F BELVIDERE, ILLIN 01S... Letters Patent No. 61,164, dated January 15, 1867.

IMPROVEMENT IN BEE-RIVES.

' @te rtctnle' reit/rst it in tlgsse tttcrs ntmt submitting part nf it same.

To ALL WnoM 1T MAY CONCERN:

Be it knownjhat I, ORSON COLVIN, of Belvidere, Boone county, and State of Illinois, have invented a new and improved Bee-Hive; andI do hereby declare that thefollowing is a. full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical section of my invention, taken in the line :z: x, iig. 2'.

Figure 2, arci-tical section of the same, taken in the line y y, iig. 1. A

Similar. letters of reference indicate like ports. Y

This invention relates to a new and improved bee-hive, and it consists in a peculiar construction of the same,v as hereinafter fully shown and described, whereby the bees will be protected from dampness and from severe cold vin winter, and better provision made than usual for the removal of surplus honey from the hive.'

A represents a quadrangular box,;which is the outer case of the hive, and may be constructed of any suitable dimensions. B represients aninner case, which is the hive proper, or ,the part in which the bees build their Ybrood-combs. This case has inclined sides, a a, but upright end-pieces, 6anarrow hat top-piece, c, being at the top of thecase, which is perforated with holes, a', and has a slide, d, fitted over it. The 'box A has a horizontal partition-plate, withinlit, just above the top of lcase B, to form `a compartment to receive a spare honey-box, the bottom of which is perforated with holes,f, corresponding with theholes a in the top piece c of case B, and with holes, g, in the partition-plate e. At each inclined side, a, of the case B, there is a spare honey-box, D, said boxes resting upon supports, h, at the sides of the case, and having slots or openings, z', made in their inner sides, which are in line with similar openings, z", mnde in the inclined sides a aof the box, as shown clearly 'in iig. 2. A space is allowed all around the box C and case B, and in the lower part of the front side of the'box A there is made an opening, j, which may be covered, when desired, by a button, c,`having an opening in it, cveredwith wire gauze, to admit the air and keep out insects and sn'ow. Inltheupper part of the front side of the box A there is an opening, Z, which is i'n line with an opening, m, in the front side of the spare honey-box G, and this opening may also be protected bya buttoii, n, having an opening covered with wire gauze. By this arrangement the case Bl will be perfectly protected om dampness and frost, a circulation of air'being allowed up through the case (as indicated by the arrows) when the slide d is removed, and during the winter season the the bottom of 'the hive should become clogged up with snow and ice in winter, air will be admitted through the opening j, which is suiciently high that it`will'not become closed or stopped up by that means. During the fall the contents of the spare honey-box C are removed, onlyl that in the side boxes D D being left, so that the bees, in caso their' stock of 4honey inl the case B should not .be sutliciet, may-supply themselves from the side boxes, the honey left in the boxes D D being removed in the spring or at the commencement of theworking' season. v J

Having l,thus described my invention, what I claim'as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The inner case B, provided with inclined sides a a, and a perforated top piece c, in combination with an outer box, A., to receive Bw ith an air-space allowed between, and the Ventilating openings jm in the box A, substantially as and for the purpose set forth. I

The spare box C, with perforated bottom, registering with lthe perforated partition-plate e andwith the perforated top piece C, inI combination with .the case B, with perforated sides, registering with the perforated spare boxes D, whereby air will beadmittedinto all parts of the hive in the manner described, for the purpose specified'. i l l ORSON COLVIN. Witnesses: n

J. N. Bumsen,-

Hssuor CoLvnv. 

